Biases in the Imposition of the Death Penalty : An investigation into discrimination in the sentencing of Capital Crimes in the United States, 1983-2001
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2006
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Haverford College. Department of Economics
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Thesis
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eng
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Open Access
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Abstract
This is an investigation into biases in the capital sentencing process in the United States between the years 1983 to 2001. Its aim is to determine if biases exist due to race, gender, or education level in the sentencing of capital crimes, and if they do, whether they differ by geographic region or change over time. The hypothesis is that these biases do exist, and are strongest in the south but are growing weaker over time. Regression analysis demonstrated that several biases do exist in capital sentencing. Biases exist such that white and male offenders are significantly more likely to receive the death penalty than are non-whites and females. Offenders sentenced in the south and southwest were found to be more likely to be sentenced to death than those sentenced in the west and midwest. Lastly, racial biases were found to be decreasing with the passage of time. Therefore, this study suggests that the sentencing of capital crimes is biased, and these biases differ by region and are decreasing over time.